A GROUP of volunteers headed out into the great outdoors to clean up a precious area of peatland for World Environment Day.

Employees from NuGen, the company responsible for delivering Moorside, teamed up with representatives from Cumbria Wildlife Trust and The Forestry Commission to construct dams and improve natural drainage in a rare area that is home to a number of protected species.

The event was organised to demonstrate the company's commitment to the environment as it continues to build a £10bn nuclear power station next to the Sellafield site.

NuGen’s environmental sustainability manager, Alexandra Brennan, was delighted to be involved.

She said: “NuGen is committed to protecting the environment close to our Moorside Project, which is home to some very special, important and increasingly rare habitats – the peatland at Gillerthwaite Mire is a really good example and that’s why we jumped at the opportunity to volunteer our time and help with this work."

She continued: “By supporting natural drainage and restoring the peatland we are helping sustain the habitat for rare insects, birds and amphibians, as well as improving the water quality in the local river network - including the River Ehen – which is important for a range of species and has become popular spawning grounds for increasing numbers of rare Arctic Char.”

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